The present invention is directed to apparatus for reading and/or encoding magnetic stripe and/or micro chip cards, including bank cards, credit cards, debit cards, identification cards and many others.
Automated teller machines (ATMs), gasoline pump stations and other apparatus designed to operate with magnetic stripe and/or micro chip cards utilize card handling mechanisms in order to perform data read/write operations. The majority of motorized card reader/encoders available today are similar in design and appear to be based on an original ATM design introduced in the late 1970's. Typically, such devices measure about seven to eight inches deep by three to four inches high by three to four inches wide behind the mounting plate of the apparatus in which they are installed. The throat, bezel, and entrance slot generally extend forwardly of the apparatus mounting plate approximately one and one-half inches.
Prior art card reader/encoders typically contain two drive stations (four rollers) which are driven by a constant speed servo motor that couples to the drive rollers through pulleys and belts. In the prior art systems, it is difficult to maintain a constant card transport velocity. The flexibility of the belts, as well as the variable friction imposed on the card by the guide slot, the magnetic heads, and the rollers that come into contact with the card, all contribute to instantaneous speed variations (ISVs). When ISVs occur during read/write operations, a phenomenon known as "jitter" results. Card jitter causes sudden, small, irregular departures from the phase, amplitude or pulse duration of a signal due to disruptions in the timing of or spatial variations between successive magnetic pulses, and often leads to read/write errors. To prevent jitter from being introduced into encoded data, prior art reader/encoders typically employ an optical or a magnetic encoder, driven by a rubber faced roller, that generates a clock signal for read/encode operations performed by a downstream magnetic head system. Because the clock signal controlling the read/encode operations varies with the speed of the card, jitter is reduced and the device is rendered less sensitive to ISVs.
A disadvantage of the prior art reader/encoders is the complexity of the drive train and the requirement for a clocking encoder which adds materially to the manufacturing cost of such devices. Moreover, clocking encoders are only marginally effective in overcoming jitter. Indeed, most credit cards in circulation do not meet ANSI or ISO jitter standards. A further disadvantage of the prior art systems is the necessity of having two rather than one drive station, which substantially increases drive train length.
The excessive length of the prior art optical encoders makes them too long to fit into the allotted space of many existing and proposed card reading apparatus. In today's market, magnetic stripe and/or micro chip cards are being used with increasing frequency in automated teller machines, point of sale terminals, bank teller stations, gasoline pump stations, vending machines, drivers license identification apparatus, telephone credit and debit card stations, security access equipment and check cashing identification devices. These applications demand reader/encoders that can be reduced in size without sacrificing functionality.
What is needed therefore is a motorized card reader/encoder for reading and encoding magnetic stripe cards and/or micro-chip cards such as bank cards, credit cards, identification cards, debit cards and the like in accordance with ANSI and ISO standards where applicable. Given the wide variety of anticipated applications, the reader/encoder should be capable of reading and encoding any combination of three tracks specified by ANSI and ISO standards at either 75 bpi or 210 bpi (bits-per inch). The reader/encoder should likewise be capable of reading and encoding debit cards containing two or more stripes. Provision should also be made for card capture in the event of a security breach. The reader/encoder device should be able to sense foreign objects and exclude them in order to prevent outside interference with the card during read/write operations. It would be further desirable to provide programming capability to accept only specific encoded cards. Debit card dispensing would be another desirable characteristic. Finally, the capability of reading a micro-chip card (smart card) in a stationary position should be available with minimal modification or redesign.
Each of the foregoing design objectives should be provided at the lowest possible cost, in the smallest possible configuration, with high reliability, low maintenance and ease of conversion for special applications.